Luca Guadagnino’s 8-episode series sets itself a tough if interesting task with the ingredients it’s made of. Set in an American military base near Venice (they were able to use an abandoned base in reality), which appears like Little USA inside with KFC and other names in the Food Court,
a US Mail office and other comforts of home, it features a new commander, Sarah Wilson played by Chloe Sevigny, her wife (Alice Braga)
and their adolescent son Fraser. This latter played by Jack Dylan Grazer has a look of Timothee Chalamet about him and is a restless, highly intelligent, obstinate and not very likeable character, who with his NY Fashion week style and possible gay inclination goes down a treat in a military base full of square types. He soon becomes obsessed with Jonathan (Tom Mercier), his mother’s assistant and a major in the army, even though Jonathan has a live-in girlfriend.
That’s family number one. The second one is the Poythress’s next door with Richard (Kid Cudi), a career soldier and former contractor, his Nigerian wife Jennifer (Faith Alabi) who is not as hetero as she may seem and their two children Caitlin and
Danny (Spence Moore 11), who is vacillating between embracing the Muslim faith and still having drunken binges on base.
Caitlin (Jordan Kristine Seamon) is the central character alongside Fraser, a sort of BFF because the two of them don’t fit in. Caitlin starts the series with a boyfriend but then starts exploring gender fluidity and a possible transition. At one point, she gets an appointment with a sympathetic doctor who can inform her about the options. I found this somewhat hard to believe in this context.
Meanwhile Richard is trafficking fuel, the oldest of the group of friends, Craig, the older brother to one of the teens is about to be sent on a mission to Afghanistan and decides to marry his Italian girlfriend in one afternoon,
the after party venue is the ostentatious but empty villa of some Russians which they break into, Trump is busy winning the 2016 election and a musician called Blood Orange is doing the rounds. I can’t imagine life on most military bases are either so varied or “unwholesome”.
What we see really are two young people exploring options in life and a sort of conclusion that everything now is more ephemeral and less set in stone. Very interesting when it comes up against such a rigid and structured organization like the US army. The suggestion is that Italy is more spontaneous and emotional and that part of the liberation of the Yankees comes from living here. Yes and no.
Accepting the poetic licence, I found the series a bit of a roller-coaster in general.
Some episodes seemed mundane and dragged, scenes of the teens at the beach, the last episode which had long scenes of Caitlin and Fraser walking and travelling to Bologna to a concert of Blood Orange, with long scenes devoted to the songs of the group. That final episode also had flirts and kisses galore in a rather over synchronistic array of attempts to find the flavor you really want.
On the other hand, Guadagnino is able to create awkward and memorable cinematic moments. Episode 4’s wedding party break-in looked like it would be a crashing bore of a drunken teen event but turned out to be a strong piece of film-making while episode 7 when people on the base reacted to the loss of some of their soldiers in combat, had two or three striking scenes with excellent acting.
Yes, it feels a bit indulgent. Yes, the privileges of these Americans who think they are the defenders of the free world but are really just trying to export their consumerism and values palls at times and yes, we could have had a lot more input from Italians among the cast (despite the fact that the writers are Italian too).
But what we have is an interesting and different look at the US abroad trying to pass through their rites of passage. Grazer and Seamon act well but I personally found Caitlin’s character less than magnetic.
Grazer creates a memorable and annoying character as Fraser.
I also liked the work of Chloe Sevigny, butch beyond our imagination, Faith Alabi, the Nigerian who misses Chicago and Tom Mercier. Francesca Scorsese, daughter of …., is also convincing in her supporting role.
Maybe this series will return with more to say. I personally felt it was enough on these two leads unless it shifts forward some years.
4 stars
passionfilm 